As far as spinal injuries go, a broken back can be pretty serious. Depending on factors such as your age, preexisting health conditions, the severity of the fracture, and the location where the spine broke, recovery can span from six to twelve weeks, during which time you’ll have to follow your specialist’s treatment and advice.
A broken back can occur for many reasons, such as an auto accident, a sporting accident, a fall, or even assault, and if you have an existing health condition that weakens your bones, such as arthritis, bone cancer, or a bone tumor, you can also break your back by straining, twisting, or simply putting too much pressure on your spine.
Types of spinal fractures
The type of spinal fracture is one of the main factors behind recovery time. Most of the time, fracture happens in the thoracic (mid-back) or lumbar (lower back) spine, and doctors split the types of back fractures into three categories:
- Flexion fractures: these happen when the vertebrae lose height from the front or the back.
- Extension fractures: also known as distraction fractures, they occur when the vertebrae are pulled apart. More often than not, extension fractures are caused by vehicle collisions.
- Rotation fractures: these can either happen when the spine bends sideways (transverse process fracture), in which case they are less serious), or when a vertebra is both broken and dislocated, in which case it is more severe, but it doesn’t always require surgery.
Pain is the most common symptom of a broken back, but if there is also damage to the spinal cord, you may also experience bladder or bowel dysfunction, as well as tingling and numbness in the limbs. To determine the extent of the injury and set a diagnosis, your doctor will do a thorough physical examination, as well as imaging tests.
Broken back treatment – does it always require surgery?
While a broken back diagnosis may sound scary and make most people think about being bedridden for months, the reality is that fractures don’t always require surgery. If the damage to the spine is light to moderate, then you needn’t get there; your doctor will instead recommend you to wear a back brace, which will support the spine and facilitate healing. Depending on the severity of the injury, this can last anywhere from six to twelve weeks, during which time you’ll have to avoid intense physical activity, sudden movements, and lifting heavy objects. Instead, you’ll have to follow a customized exercise plan to slowly build up your activity. Keep in mind that, although you’re avoiding surgery this way, recovering from a back injury still takes time, and you will have to adjust your lifestyle. If your job involves physical activity or driving, you will not be able to do it, and this is one of the most common reasons why people seek compensation for broken back injuries.
If the damage to the spine is more severe, or your nerves were damaged too, surgery is usually recommended to stabilize the spine. In this case, recovery can last more than 12 weeks, and until the spine is fully healed, you will need to wear a back brace. Your doctor will also recommend a personalized exercise program, but only when they consider it safe to do so.
You should also keep in mind that after 12 weeks (or more, if you underwent surgery), you will need to have physical therapy.
But the big question is: will my life ever get back to normal after a broken back?
Well, that depends, and factors like age and injury severity play an important role here.
If you suffer a spine injury and break your back when you’re young, or the injury itself is minor, you will be able to resume your usual activities relatively quickly after the treatment is completed.
However, a more severe spinal injury or a broken back suffered later in life can have a much bigger impact. Even if you may be able to walk and do normal activities after completing treatment and physical therapy, you may not be able to do intense physical exercises such as lifting weights or doing extreme sports. If your job before the accident involved driving for extended periods of time, you might not be able to do that anymore. In some cases, a broken back can be a life-altering event, and this is one of the main reasons why you should always consider seeking compensation if it happened because of someone else’s fault. It’s possible to have to seek other hobbies, change your job, not to mention make financial sacrifices because you might not be able to return to work for months.
How to speed up spinal fracture recovery
A broken back requires a lot of rest, and, as excited as you may be to get back to your usual routine, it’s important to be patient and follow your doctor’s advice. You can’t miraculously heal overnight, but by following these tips, you might be able to speed up recovery a bit and avoid complications.
- Go to physical therapy: although it may not be exactly fun, it’s essential for restoring strength and rebuilding your back muscles.
- Only exercise according to your doctor’s instructions. If you sustained a more severe back injury, your recovery will involve a lot of rest. Even though you may feel fine, it’s important not to get too excited and start exercising without your doctor’s approval first. Most importantly, only do the exercises they deemed appropriate, and make sure you do them correctly because a wrong twist can set you back weeks.
- Have a healthy diet. As your bones are healing, it’s important to give them the nutrients they need. More specifically, calcium and vitamin D, which are essential for preventing the loss of bone density. Make sure you eat plenty of lean proteins, milk, cereals, fruits, and vegetables.
Last but not least, keep in mind that a serious spinal injury can have repercussions on your physical as well as mental health, so don’t neglect the importance of good sleep, meditation, and support from your loved ones.
